More About Injury Prevention

Let's face it, this running business is not easy and not without pain.

Those of us who say we run for the "joy of it" mean what we say, but not without consequences. While I made it to my mid-30s without any significant running injuries, I should probably consider myself fortunate. Two key factors make running a difficult feat in avoiding injuries: Age - the older you get, the more susceptible you become to athletic injuries; and Impact - running places a tremendous amount of impact on our bodies.

I wrote earlier this month about avoiding running-related injuries, but Christine Luff had more suggestions in her blog that regularly appears in about.com.

Finding the right shoes is important. Remember, if it takes buying a few different pairs of shoes to find "the right fit", you'll find that is a worthwhile investment.

Additionally, DO NOT beat yourself up when you miss workouts, fall behind on a plan or anything along these lines. If you're training for a major distance event and you're using a plan you found in Runner's World or wherever, keep in mind these plans are the masses and they generally "overtrain" you by design. In fact, take care to replace some workouts in a plan with other cardiovascular exercise like swimming or biking if you're feeling a little sore. Trust me, your body won't miss a beat and will likely thank you later!